Monday, July 31, 2006

Have you advanced in your guitar playing to the point that you're performing for others? Maybe you're interested in playing at a local open mic event, or are ready to do a solo for a school or church concert. Or maybe you're part of a band that has jammed and practiced and is getting itchy to do some real entertaining. Whatever the case, there are some things to remember when you start performing for a group.

First, make sure you have practiced the songs you want to do until you know them inside and out. Nervousness will creep in and you will forget what you thought you had embedded in your soul! Get those songs nailed down as well as you can. Drill yourself on those chord changes and tricky rhythms until they are second nature. Rehearse any lyrics you might sing over and over. Don't bomb out just because you have failed to put the practice time in.

That said, be aware that technical difficulties can ruin an otherwise stellar performance. There is nothing unprofessional about taking a minute to check the microphones and monitor to make sure things are going to work for your particular brand of music. If you get started pouring your soul into a song, but the people can't hear you, or worse, you can't hear your own voice, it's going to throw your confidence for a loop.

A third consideration, touched on in the paragraph above, is to plan to pour your soul into your performance. When people come to hear someone make music, they want to feel the excitement the musician feels about the music. It's an intimate experience for the musician, and the audience wants to get in on it. If you are too concerned about the impression you are making on the audience, you will not be attending to the music like you need to.

Here's another consideration. Is the place you are performing noisy? Is it filled with people talking, laughing, and doing their own thing? Maybe you're in an active night spot, or performing for people at a fair. These people have other interests going on as well as your performance. The best thing you can do is lose yourself in your music. Don't worry about trying to drown out the noise. In fact, sometimes if you quiet down and have your own personal music party going, the crowd will quiet down to see what's going on on the stage.

The bottom line in performing is that how you look or impress the audience is not nearly as important as how you sound. Remember, too, that you don't have to prove anything to the audience in most cases. They are not sitting in judgment on you, but rather are hoping you do great. They'll likely feel sorry for you if you flub a bit and will cheer if you pull it off. So don't look at those folks as someone to impress, but someone on your side.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Acoustic Vs. Electric Guitars: Which Guitar Is The Best To StartLearning With?

By: Darren Armentrout

One of the most common questions I get from new guitarists is,"should I begin on the acoustic or electric?" To be honest,there really is no right or wrong answer. But let's look at someof the differences to help us decide.

First, the biggest question is what kind of music do you like?If you want to learn to play like Metallica or Greenday, thenit's obvious you need to get an electric guitar. If you want toplay like James Taylor or Dave Matthews, then an acoustic wouldbe the best route to go.

Parents, if you are helping your child decide what is best forthem, be sure to ask them what kind of music they want to learn.Also, ask them if they know which kind of guitar they would likeand why. Asking these questions has always helped me figure outwhich guitar would be a better fit for my students. Sometimes,people just want to play the guitar because it's "cool"-- orbecause they want to be a rock star. Or, maybe a friend islearning to play drums and they want to start a band together.In these cases I normally would recommend an electric.Motivation is the key here. Sometimes simply buying the wrongkind of guitar, can make a child lose interest in playing andthen you are out the time and money. I've seen many parents,even with the best intentions, have a child start on acousticwhen the child really wanted an electric and it normally endsthe same way-- disinterest.

So, besides appearance, what are some of the important things toconsider? Generally, you can play the same things on eitherguitar, and the basics are the same. The guitar is tuned thesame and all the scales and chords you learn will be the samefor either. However, the sound is different. What sounds good onone may sound weak, out of place, or downright silly on theother. When a lot of people think of guitar, they think of theguy who comes to the front of a stage in the middle of a songand plays a screaming solo. If this is the kind of playingyou're looking to learn, then you need an electric. If you'rewanting to learn to strum chords, kind of like the Beatles, thenget an acoustic. Electrics tend to be played louder, moreaggressively and have a raunchier dirty kind of sound. Acousticstend to have a fuller, more natural sound and have a little morelaid back kind of a feel.

The main advantage of an electric guitar when beginning to playis the string gauge. Electric guitars usually have strings thatare much thinner than the strings of their hollow bodiedbrothers. This means that it's a little bit easier to push thestrings down on electric. The strings are thinner, though, andmay feel a little sharper than the thicker acoustic strings.But, guitarists who start on electric and then pick up theacoustic sometimes find they have to develop their hand strengtha little before they can get comfortable on the acoustic. Onedisadvantage of the electric, is that it is noisier. The pickupsof an electric are much less forgiving of mistakes than anacoustic is. Because an electric is sensitive to every littlenuance of touch, finger placement and pressure, tiny mistakesbeginners make will ring more clearly on an electric than on anacoustic. Another disadvantage of the electric guitar is it's alittle more expensive to get everything you need to start on it.Not only do you have to buy the guitar but you have to buy anamp and a guitar cable to go with it. On average it will cost$40-$80 more to start on an electric than an acoustic of similarquality.

The main advantage of an acoustic is it's portability. Theacoustic can go almost anywhere and be played anywhere. So youcan practice or perform wherever you'd like-- whether at home,on a trip, or around the campfire. There is no extra equipmentrequired, just pick it up and play. Another advantage of theacoustic is the volume. I have never been asked to stop playingmy acoustic because of noise-- even when in the dorms at collegeor playing in my apartment at two in the morning. I have beenasked on several occasions to turn down my amp or to stopplaying all together by a frustrated roommate or neighbor.However, if your main concern with an electric is noise, mostamps have a headphone jack you can use to keep others happy.Getting a clean sound is a little easier on an acoustic than anelectric. But, guitarists who start off on acoustics and thenswitch to electrics may find the required precision to controlthe noise a little difficult to handle at first. Anotherdisadvantage of an acoustic is it's a bit quiet when playing ina band unamplified. So playing with a band (especially drums)may require extra equipment to be heard.

So there you have it, the main differences between starting onthe acoustic guitar or starting on an electric guitar. Whatchoice you make depends on:

The look you want: Are you going for the rock star look? Thesound: Do you prefer the pure natural sound or the crunchydistorted sound? The tradeoff: Ease of pressing strings down, ormore forgiving of mistakes? Price? Portability?

In the end, most guitarists who stick with playing a year ortwo, soon pick up the other kind of guitar as well. So, what youstart on depends on what is most important to you.

About the author:For more guitar related articles by this author, answers tocommon guitar related questions, and free blank tablature andblank guitar charts visit www.fishmanmusic.com Darren Armentrout has been playing guitar for 13 years,earned a Bachelors in music, and has been teaching guitar forover 5 years.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

There are many different types of people in the world, andbecause of this there are many different guitars. There aredifferent types of music and depending on what kind of music youare looking to play you will need to have the right guitar.

An acoustic guitar is much lessexpensive than an electric guitar. It also requires lessequipment because for an acoustic it's optional.

If you are interested in an electric guitar, here are somethings to consider so that you may get the right one for you.

Be sure that you are interested in playing the sort of musicyou are choosing an electric for. Electric is usually meant tobe used for rock music. Remember you can start small.

Don't go for the big name brand first. Pick a cheaper brand topractice and learn on. This will also help if you should decideyou don't want to play after all. Then you wouldn't have spenttoo much on something you don't use.

Once you have learned then you should look into more expensiveequipment. Then you will know for sure that this is somethingyou enjoy and you can know that you deserve the equipment.

Second hand guitars are also an option open to you. You canfind second hand guitars in many places. Think of ebay, thenewspaper, or pawnshops. Some guitar stores will also havesecond guitars sometimes.

Does this sound familiar? A guitar case lying around in yourhouse doing nothing but gather dust. Chances are that despiteyour best intentions, you have one and probably never learnedhow to play, or started taking beginner guitar lessons and soonlost your enthusiasm, or something else got in the way. Takingbeginner guitar lessons in the traditional manner sometimes justdoesn't work all that well when you're busy with little thingslike life. However, if you have a computer, and who doesn'tthese days, you can easily find many online sites that offerbeginner guitar lessons gratis, for free, or you can buy guitarlesson packages with DVDs and instructional manuals that can besent to your home if you would prefer. Have no fear if you can'tread music; beginners are also taught how to read tablature,which is easier to learn to read than music. Trust me, it reallyis.

No matter if you choose to start your beginner guitar lessons onthe computer or with the traditional educational material, youstart out with the raw basics about guitars and accessories,like picks and tuners, strings, bridges, etc. Students aretaught how to correctly hold a guitar and pick, and how to tuneit so that it sounds good! Sure this may sound really simple,but there are people who feel really awkward at first, and arehelped a great deal from a few pointers. Another great bonus totaking beginner guitar lessons in the comfort of your own home,is that the embarrassment factor is almost completelyeliminated! Lessons are usually rather easy to understand andare available to you to play over and over until you havemastered that level. You know the saying, practice makesperfect. Beginner guitar lessons include basic scales and chordformations also; it is kind of important to have some basicmusic theory behind you because you will always benefit bylooking back to it for basic guidance, even after you are anaccomplished musician!

A fantastic method to get started or brush up on the basics,beginner guitar lessons let you begin where you feelcomfortable, and move alond at a pace that is comfortable toyou. Beginner guitar lessons are readily available to you onlineand there are many quality sites to choose from. Some can bedownloaded, or you can have beginner guitar lessons delivered toyour doorstep, whichever you decide. The whole idea behind it isto get you playing, whether it be the first time, or to get youback in the saddle again! Guitar is actually one of the easiestinstruments to learn how to play, contrary to what you may haveheard, and fits in real well with just about all types of music.You certainly don't have to run out and buy a brand new guitar,unless of course you want to! For beginner guitar lessons, youjust need anything with six strings and that can be tuned andstrummed. After just a few lessons you'll be amazing your familyand friends with your incredible talent! Where is that musiccontract... bring it on.

About the author:Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding theworld of Fine Arts. You can get interesting and informativeinformation here at Beginner Guitar Lessons

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Here's another good article by Tim Lee. There's some good tipsthat will improve your playing a lot. Enjoy.

By: Tim Lee

Playing guitar as a hobby or professionally can be veryfulfilling. It is a great outlet for one's creativity andpassion, and is the perfect expression of one's self. Whetheryou are a beginner guitar player or not, you could use thefollowing tips and instructions to improve your guitar playing.

1) Good posture is Truly Underrated

While you can play guitar in almost any position, good positionis integral to getting the most out of your guitar. Without goodposture you could put yourself in greater risk for strainingmuscles - not to mention that wrong posture is truly awkward anduncomfortable to the player. You could even acquire orexacerbate back pain playing in the wrong position.

In a sitting position, sit up straight and cradle the guitarwith your legs. Armless chairs are better for this sort ofplaying. If you are a classical player you might want topurchase a foot rest to elevate your left leg (if you areright-handed).

While standing, make sure you have good footing, with feetproperly spaced. Keep the guitar high on your chest. If you havea guitar strap then you could avoid getting fatigued whileplaying your guitar.

2) Hold Your Pick the Right Way

If you are a pick player, one common mistake you can avoid is tohold your pick the right way. The proper way to hold a pick isto grip is firmly but not too tightly.

If you hold your pick to firmly, you could get your arm tiredreal easily. If you hold it too loose you could easily lose yourpick during a very vigorous strumming session. The best place tohold your pick is somewhere in its middle.

Choosing the right pick is also another important choice youwill have to make. If you are a beginner, you may want to usesoft picks for strumming. They are also easier on the arms anddo not need to be gripped too tightly. However, most flabbypicks do not perform well when used to pluck individual strings,bass strings, or when flat picking.

3) Practice your arpeggios

After giving strumming a thorough work out, try working onarpeggios as they could seriously improve you playing style andwill open you up to new guitar skills. Some players start witharpeggios before jumping into serious lead playing orcomplicated playing.

It also gives your playing much more variety than would beavailable if you stuck to simpler chord playing. And asmentioned, arpeggios are the gateway to higher level playingskills.

4) D Chord Secrets Revealed

The D-sus chord is a beautiful flourish when used to lead backto the D-chord. It is easily done by adding your pinkie fingerto the chord at the third fret. Practice how this chord is usedand you will find that it easily integrates into mostcontemporary songs.

You could also use this with other chords. You may refer to mostchord charts to find out how these chords are done.

Conclusion

In the end practice is still the best way to get better atguitar playing. However, you can avoid wasting your time duringpractice by learning to practice smarter instead of just more.The tips mentioned above will help you get started on this road.